INTRODUCTION

2010 ExactTarget2

When reading marketing headlines like those highlighted in the image at left, its easy to understand why marketers get the impression that email, Facebook, and Twitter are in direct competition for the online consumers attention.

And while channels like Facebook and Twitter may compete with one another among advertisers, consumers share a very different

perspective. Ultimately, consumers treat marketers differently than friends, and they want marketing communications to

respect those differences.

With a short attention span and ability to multi-task, consumers constantly shift their attention from one online communication tool to another. For

example, the emails they receive inspire them to Tweet and post to Facebook, and the messages they

see on Facebook and Twitter remind them to email old friends. Consumers communicate freely across these channels and dont

isolate one from the other. Shouldnt you do the same?

In The Collaborative Future, the sixth and final installment of the SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS research series, well bring you face-to-face with the future of interactive marketing by

turning common assumptions about channel competition on their head.

INSIDE THIS REPORT, WELL HELP YOU:

Compare the email, Facebook, and Twitter x-factors, so you understand the significant differences that exist between the three channels

Understand the differences between what SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, and FOLLOWERS want, so you can deliver the right message in the right place

Learn how to effectively integrate these channels to improve acquisition and retention marketing

If email, Facebook, and Twitter shared similar strengths, it might make more sense that they would be in direct competition with one another. But just like each individual consumer is unique, so are each of these communication channels. This final report will put an end to the confusion that surrounds channel and budget competition, so you can develop a tightly integrated strategy that combinesnot isolatesthe powerful strengths of email, Facebook, and Twitter.

Consumers communicate freely across these channels and dont isolate one from the other. Shouldnt you do the same?

2010 ExactTarget 3

FAMILIARITYMANAGEABILITYTRUST & PRIVACYRELEVANCYEXCLUSIVITY

CONNECTIONSELF-EXPRESSIONENTERTAINMENTDISCOVERYCONTROL

INFLUENCEBREVITYACCESSIBILITYINTERACTIONVERSATILITY

EMAIL X-FACTORS

FACEBOOK X-FACTORS

TWITTER X-FACTORS

2010 ExactTarget4

SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS: THEN AND

NOW SUBSC

RIBE

RSFA

NS

FOLLOW

ERS

Despite the recent hype over SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, and FOLLOWERS, these termsand the concepts of what it means to be eacharent new. What is new are the tools that marketers use to communicate with each of these target audiences. Well explore what it meant to be SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS pre-internet (or as we refer to them in this section, then), and how mediums like email, Facebook, and Twitter (post-internet) have changed the way marketers facilitate conversations with the members of these age-old audiences.

THEN: Before email, the term SUBSCRIBER described an individual who paid money to receive content on a regular basis. In exchange for this mon-ey, SUBSCRIBERS received interesting content that was delivered consistently from a publisher.

THEN: Close your eyes and envi-sion a FAN, pre-internet. Youre probably imagining sports spectators, music group-ies, or pop-culture junkies. The concept of a FAN was well-established before the Facebook and internet era, and individu-als have become FANS over the years as a means of self-expression. Understand-ing what a person is a FAN offrom the Grateful Dead to the New York Yankeesreveals a lot about that persons identity.

THEN: In the pre-internet era, FOLLOWERS were categorized as sup-porters of influential leaders, politicians, or social movements. People FOL-LOWED others to express admiration and to become closer to those whom they admired.

*

*When using the terminology then vs. now to compare SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS, then describes these audiences pre-internet, while now describes these audiences in the post-internet era.

2010 ExactTarget 5

93% of U.S. online consumers are SUBSCRIBERS*.* U.S. consumers who receive at least one permission-based email a day.

38% of U.S. online consumers are FANS*.* U.S. consumers with a Facebook account who have become a FAN of (i.e. LIKE) at least one brand on Facebook.

5% of U.S. online consumers are FOLLOWERS*.*U.S. consumers with a Twitter account who FOLLOW at least one brand on Twitter.

NOW: Today, the relationship that brands have with email SUBSCRIBERS is similar. The difference is that con-sumers dont pay brands to present them with interesting content (in most cases). Instead, consumers provide their email addresses to these companies, understanding that these addresses are valuable to marketers. Through this exchange, consumers expect the advantages of subscrip-tion, which include ongoing access to relevant and exclu-sive content (x-factors #4 and #5).

TIPS: Deliver exclusive email content thats relevant to your individual SUBSCRIBERS. And this isnt as easy as it used to be. With magazines or news-papers, consumers sift through content on their own as they look for interesting articles. But with email, they expect brands to do the work for them, getting rid of all the articles that wont resonate so the content reflects only the most relevant offers and information. Make sure that your email content is engaging, relevant, and consistently delivered so each SUBSCRIBER feels like an exclusive member of your brands V.I.P. club.

NOW: FANS still exist outside the world of Face-book, but this new medium has created an instantaneous and public way for consumers to express their support for brands. For consumers, the act of FANNING a brand or company can be compared to sporting your favorite clothing stores logoa display of endorsement and per-sonal expression. And while the act of FANNING a brand doesnt equal an open invitation for marketing messages, it doesnt necessarily preclude it either. FANS are more likely to be receptive to marketing messages if theyre in the spir-it of fun and entertainment.

TIPS: Entertain your FANS on Facebook and theyll be more likely to engage with your brand. Your wall posts should reflect the fun that Facebook provides to its users, and as a result, FANS will be able to interact with you in ways that other channels dont provide. But be sure to remember that consumers are FANS first and foremost, not just the means by which you increase your ROI. Think of the deals and free-bies you offer as a way to thank your FANS for their support. This will fuel engagement and enthusiasm for your brand.

NOW: Twitter extends the opportunity for more peoplefrom celebrities and television personalities to athletes and ordinary citizensto have FOLLOWERS. Ad-ditionally, Twitter provides a platform that can be used to wield influence, giving people the opportunity to act as a leader and FOLLOWER simultaneously.

TIPS: Influence the influencers by delivering insider information, responding directly to Tweets, and providing velvet rope access to the person-alities behind your brand, in 140 characters or less. By providing this type of access to your most influen-tial consumers (i.e. daily Twitter users), theyll be more likely to recommend and endorse your brand to their own Twitter FOLLOWERS, expanding your reach and viral marketing potential.

27%AGREE

41%NEUTRAL

32%DISAGREE

17%AGREE

34%NEUTRAL

49%DISAGREE

37%AGREE

31%NEUTRAL

32%DISAGREE

EMAIL SUBSCRIBER

FACEBOOK FAN

TWITTERFOLLOWER

24%AGREE

40%NEUTRAL

21%AGREE

32%NEUTRAL

47%DISAGREE

33%AGREE

35%NEUTRAL

31%DISAGREE36%DISAGREE

MORE LIKELY TO RECOMMEND A BRAND AFTER BECOMING A

SUBSCRIBER, FAN, OR FOLLOWER

MORE LIKELY TO PURCHASE FROM A BRAND AFTER

BECOMING A SUBSCRIBER, FAN,

OR FOLLOWER

NOTE: Numbers may not equal 100% due to rounding.

EXPANDING YOUR MARKET REACHYoure probably pondering a common question among modern marketers: Are email, Facebook, and Twitter retention marketing channels? While the ability to assemble existing customers and prospects into a single location certainly fits into the old database-marketing paradigm for retention marketing, our research raised questions that challenge this assumption.

The charts on this page reflect the percentage of consumers likely to purchase from or recommend a brand more often after becoming a SUBSCRIBER, FAN, or FOLLOWER. (Remember, 93% of online consumers are SUBSCRIBERS, 38% are FANS, and 5% are FOLLOWERS.) Here are some highlights:

32% of SUBSCRIBERS and FOLLOWERS and 49% of FANS are no more likely to purchase from a brand after connecting with them through these channelsleaving 68% of SUBSCRIBERS and FOLLOWERS and 51% of FANS who may purchase more often.

Multiplying these percentages together, we see that 63% of U.S. online consumers may become a SUBSCRIBER of a brand and purchase more often, 19% may become a FAN of a brand and purchase more often, and 3% may FOLLOW a brand and purchase more often.

What else do these findings suggest, in light of what we know about each channels unique strengths?

THE BOTTOM LINE: Youll be able to drastically expand your brands online reach by combining the strengths of each of these communication channels, as theyre highlighted on the next page. Developing this cohesive strategy will result in a program that far exceeds